Stolen laptop, old IPhone, new XP laptop, & now new 3GS

[bsgranpa]

Ok, my wife got an IPhone a couple of years ago and loves it. My daughter hooked it up with my wife's Sony Viao which subsequently was stolen. I bought her a new PC with Windows XP Pro but have yet to sync to it because I heard that she would lose everything when she plugged it in. I have never used ITunes and am monumentally unfamiliar with it. Now, to top it all off, I bought my wife a gift card for a new IPhone 3GS (the white one, not sure if that matters). So, if some kind (and experienced) person will help. I would appreciate a step-by-step approach to how to proceed. I have ITunes installed, I have Outlook set-up, I just don't know how to get her photos, music, contacts, email, Safari Bookmarks, apps, etc. onto the new computer and then onto the new phone. So, here we are, waiting to go to the Apple store but frozen in ignorance afraid that we are going to do the wrong thing. I tried to explain all this to the person at the Apple store but walked away with no clear idea what they were saying. Thanks in advance for any help. Just pretend you are talking to your old Grandpa who doesn't understand much tech speech.

[chobbs1]

Did you have any of your data or media backed up any where? One should always keep a hard copy of a back up for reasons you now understand, if you in fact do not have one.

I have hears there are programs that can take the media from your phone and put it on your computer so try a search for that. Then once you have all your media from your old phone then switching to a new phone will be a snap. Hope this leads you in the right direction.

[DRTigerlilly]

shouldn't you be able to authorize the new computer with your itunes account?

This article might be of use
Copy Music from Your iPhone or iPod to Your Computer for Free - Feature - Lifehacker

The easiest route seems to be getting a copy of winamp.

[flyingember]

this is why a backup is so important.

[bsgranpa]

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear. We have the music backed up so that isn't my wife's main concern. She has taken many pictures of kids and grandkids that are only on her iPhone. She has many, many people in her contacts that aren't in any database. My fear is that when we first plug into the new computer, everything will be erased. Her current iPhone was sync'ed to the stolen laptop. How do I sync to the new computer, save contacts and photos, then (when she gets the 3GS) get everything to the new phone. I understand now that she can re-download all her apps. I have the music as MP3's on an external drive ripped from all our music CD's so I assume that I can put those back into iTunes when we get to that point. So, at this point I've downloaded iTunes. I've set up her Outlook for her gmail account and it tests to be working. I don't know what to do now with the old phone. Do I simply plug it in and hope it doesn't clear the phone. Trust me, I don't know the first thing about iPhones, iTunes and I'm afraid I'll do something that can't be undone.

[Skywalker]

Try downloading iPhone Folders here: iPhone Folders

Connect the phone to your computer.

After the download of iPhone Folders go to my computer to find the start up.

You should be able to pull the pictures from the phone w/o iTunes running. Make sure you don't launch iTunes. You may see otehr data that can be saved as well. If I recall, there is a backup file of the contacts that can be pulled as well.

Good luck.

[BENGRIMM]

The pictures in the camera roll are easy to get off , do not have itunes running and plug the phone in then go to my computer , click on the phone and drag them to the computer .

Now the other stuff is a bit harder , you can go to your local apple store with the iphone & laptop and see if they can sync everything from the phone to the new laptop , I know they do that with IPODS but a Iphone might not be the same.

[Ipheuria]

Even if you did open iTunes it would prompt you that syncing will wipe your data and allow you to cancel the process so don't be scared. If you connect the phone it should pop up or show in my computer like someone said to allow you to get the pictures off. Getting the stuff onto the new phone is easy once you connect it open iTunes and click the phone in the left column and go to each tab and set the options. Email me rwilliams0926@gmail.com I can send you a manual with snapshots I created for my cousin.